The Department for Education has published new, ad hoc statistics estimating that 520,000 learners in England use local-authority funded transport to reach school or college. Of these, around 470,000 are pre‑16 pupils-approximately 6% of all under‑16s-with about 180,000 transported because of special educational needs and/or disability (SEND). The collection, based on voluntary returns from 115 councils in February–March 2025, is the first of its kind and will be updated annually. The department cautions that estimates-such as the 9% of pre‑16 SEND users travelling in single‑occupancy vehicles-reflect differential response rates and should be treated carefully.
Council spending pressures are significant. Local Government Association research indicates total SEND home‑to‑school transport costs reached £1.73bn in 2023/24, up from £645m in 2015/16, with roughly £1.5bn of that spend supporting pre‑16 pupils. The LGA projects expenditure to rise to about £1.97bn in 2025/26; average annual costs are estimated at around £8,900 per SEND pupil versus £3,100 for mainstream. Councils also report longer journeys, with analysis suggesting an average one‑way distance of nine miles for SEND learners.
Statutory duties remain clear. Under section 508B of the Education Act 1996, English local authorities must arrange suitable free home‑to‑school travel for eligible children-for example, those living beyond statutory walking distances or unable to walk because of SEND or mobility issues. Section 508C provides a discretionary power to assist other children. DfE’s statutory guidance-last updated on 25 January 2024-sets out how authorities should apply these duties for compulsory school age, with separate guidance for post‑16 learners.
The LGA has warned that fulfilling current transport duties is becoming financially unsustainable and risks forcing reductions elsewhere in children’s services; its recent policy work states that pressures now pose “a real threat of bankruptcy for some” authorities. The issue is aggravated by growing reliance on longer routes and taxi provision for pupils whose needs cannot be met locally.
The National Audit Office reaches similar conclusions at system level. In 2019 it found SEND support was not, on current trends, financially sustainable; in 2024 it reported the system remains financially unsustainable, with dedicated schools grant deficits potentially reaching £4.6bn by March 2026 when temporary accounting arrangements expire-leaving around 43% of councils at risk of issuing section 114 notices absent a plan.
Policy choices at local level are shifting in response. Leeds City Council agreed changes for new post‑16 SEND applicants from September 2025, replacing routine free transport with distance‑banded personal travel allowances and retaining council‑organised transport only in exceptional circumstances. The council forecast savings of more than £800,000 in 2025/26, with transitional protection for existing recipients; parents and campaigners continue to contest the change.
School leaders stress the educational stakes. NAHT’s senior policy adviser Rob Williams said council‑funded transport plays a “crucial role” in enabling regular attendance and independence for many pupils, warning that reductions risk widening attainment gaps and shifting pressures onto families.
Parliament has also set parameters for reform. The House of Commons Education Committee’s report of 18 September 2025 urges a “root and branch” shift to inclusion in mainstream settings but states reforms “must not be based on any withdrawal of statutory entitlements” for children and young people with SEND, calling for earlier support based on need.
Ministers have delayed their Schools White Paper-expected to include SEND proposals-until early 2026 to allow further co‑design with families, schools and experts. In setting out the delay, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson emphasised principles of early, local and effective support; Schools Minister Georgia Gould has said she will meet more parents in the coming months and that children should not face long journeys alone to access provision.
For councils, the DfE’s new dataset offers a baseline to benchmark transport modes, single‑occupancy use and post‑16 volumes ahead of next year’s budget and procurement rounds. With NAO‑flagged deficits and the end of the statutory override approaching in March 2026, aligning home‑to‑school transport planning with high‑needs recovery plans and local SEND capital programmes will be unavoidable.
For schools and families, today’s numbers formalise what many have already experienced: eligibility rules continue to be applied under the 1996 Act and statutory guidance, but the availability of nearby suitable provision materially affects transport decisions and journey times. Where needs cannot be met locally, authorities face higher‑cost solutions-often taxis or single‑occupancy vehicles-which the DfE estimates still account for a significant minority of SEND journeys.
The department plans to repeat this collection annually, which should improve coverage, consistency and local benchmarking over time. Until then, transport remains a visible pressure point in wider SEND reform-bridging statutory entitlements, stretched local budgets and the objective of meeting needs closer to home.